


Brothers - Melodia Gratis

by kjadie



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Backstory, Brotherly Affection, Brothers, Gen, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Permanent Injury, Pre-Canon, Protective Older Brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 13:43:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17468696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjadie/pseuds/kjadie
Summary: Ardyn's broken leg is canon. This story takes place when the Caelum bros were children, and these are the adventures they had together.





	1. Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Every character ever has a stupid Latin name, so this has a stupid Latin name.

In a land of myth and magic, there were two little boys in a lively meadow out of time. The brothers sparred under the soft skies.

With a swift force from his sword, the elder knocked his younger away some distance. The younger, Somnus, recovered.

“I’m gonna get you for that!!” He shouted with renewed energy.

The older of the two, Ardyn, had no need for banter and instead twirled around with his back faced to Somnus. He was wary of Ardyn’s plan but attacked, regardless. Ardyn casually retaliated and sent his brother’s sword into the air. His unfortunate brother fell face-first into the dirt before the sword hit the ground.

“Oh my god,” Ardyn said under his breath. He dropped his sword and extended a hand to his brother.

“Here, come on,” he said. Somnus looked up at him and accepted. Ardyn pulled him up with ease and held onto his arms to keep him from falling down again.

Somnus looked at his brother with sad eyes and bowed his head.

“Are you alright?” Ardyn asked. He gently lifted his brother’s chin with a finger and brushed some dirt off his face.

Somnus pushed away his brother’s hands. The elder drew his eyebrows together. He tilted and lowered his head to be at Somnus' height.

“I’m so so―”

Somnus tried, unsuccessfully, to hold in his giggle. With the face of a proud brother, he looked up with a grin so wide that his eyes were shut. He gave Ardyn an unforgiving chance to understand the situation. Somnus grabbed dirt off his face, then smothered it on his brother’s.

“GOTCHA GOOD!!!” Somnus BOLTED.

“Oh you bastard,” Ardyn said between a laugh as he dusted the dirt off his face. He chased his brother.

“GET BACK HERE!!” He shouted.

“NO CHANCE!!” Somnus yelled and glanced back to check the distance between them. He gave his older brother a well-earned smile.

Naturally, the younger of the two got tired first and was forced to catch his breath. Ardyn caught up with him. He fell against his brother, shoulder to shoulder. They both laughed uncontrollably until Ardyn tried to speak.

“You,” he kept laughing, “You’re getting a lot stronger.”

“You’re only saying that cause I BEAT you,” Somnus tried to stop laughing.

Ardyn exhaled deeply, trying to speak, “No no, I really mean it.”

Somnus glanced to the side and with bright eyes, looked back at his brother.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Are we even?”

“For sure,” Ardyn said as he brushed some hair out of Somnus' face.

“You should wash that dirt off, you look silly,” he tilted his head in the direction of a nearby lake.

Somnus gazed at the lake, a little lost in thought. Ardyn kept an eye on his little brother.

“YOU go wash your face,” Somnus talked back. He tried to wipe dirt on his brother’s face again. Incorrect decision.

Ardyn held Somnus' arm, spun him around, and kept him in a light headlock to keep him from squirming. He leaned against his brother.

“I don’t think so,” Ardyn whispered in his ear. The poor child tried to move around.

“Let me go!” He yelled.

His elder brother said, still whispering “I let you go,” his voice rose, “and you go wash that dirt off.”

“Fine!” Somnus whined, “Just let go of me!”

Ardyn released his brother, who scurried to the lake. He turned around and ran backward, only to shout “Someday I’m gonna be as strong as you!” then turned back around towards the water.

“No, you’re gonna be stronger than me!” Ardyn shouted in response.

Ardyn leaned on a nearby tree and looked to his brother with an easy smile. He took a deep, satisfying breath and let down his unkempt hair, then tied it back to feel it flutter in the breeze.

Leaves rustled in the tree. A blur sprung from the tree in the direction of the younger brother. Ardyn caught sight of its monstrous shadow. With a broken voice, he shrieked, “Somnus!”

Ardyn ran to his brother, just as a mother who sees flames beside her will lift her son and run without a stop. She cares more for her child than for herself. And so, the elder ran to his brother and broke the great demon’s fall.

Somnus turned his head, but his brother’s body was already on the ground. Smoke rose from smoldering ash in front of them and a demonic screech and embers filled the air.

“BROTHER!” He cried as he wiped the sweat off his brows and ran to his brother.

His older brother was curled with his back facing Somnus. He got on the ground and lifted Ardyn’s head onto his lap and held him. When Somnus saw his brother’s nearly lifeless body, he shut his eyes and started to cry.

“Are you alright?” Ardyn asked between shuddered breaths, as he looked to his brother’s face. Somnus lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Your leg.”

Ardyn clenched his teeth, grabbed onto Somnus for support and tried to sit up. He had hardly moved his left leg when they both heard a sharp crack. Having no opportunity to scream, Ardyn closed his eyes and lost consciousness.

Somnus placed his forehead against his brother’s and whimpered.

“No, no please.”

Somnus tried to lift his brother, unsuccessfully, and grunted when he was unable to.

“WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP” Somnus shook his brother with all his life. He again pressed his forehead against his brother’s.

“Please wake up,” he whimpered with a voice choked in tears.

“Please.”

Somnus tried to gather what remained of his breath.

“HE WON’T WAKE UP” He screamed and cried until his voice cracked.

“Please, somebody help me.”

The only reply was the birds that scattered from trees.

“I won’t leave you, I promise.” Somnus shook his head and tried to think of what his brother would do. After a moment, he remembered a prayer that his brother taught him. With what remained of his breath, Somnus bowed and prayed:

 

_I won't fret and I won't worry_

_Instead I'll hurry to pray._

_I'll say goodbye to all my fears,_

_In darkness as in light,_

_Please watch at our side_

_Your presence sets me free_

_I may not understand_

_But hear my whispered prayer._

 

He repeated the prayer, hoping that his brother would wake.


	2. Help

After many prayers, a man with a kind face appeared from the trees. When Somnus saw the stranger drift towards them, he pulled Ardyn closer. His only thought was to protect his brother. The man approached the children with caution.

“Why do you cry little one?” The man asked.

“My brother won’t wake up,” Somnus stammered. Tears flooded his face and he cried, “He’s dying.”

Somnus clung onto his brother tighter as the man sat down. He held out a hand to the child.

“Am I permitted?” the man asked, wanting Somnus’ consent to examine his unconscious brother. Somnus relaxed his grip but still kept held Ardyn’s hand.

“There is an edifice for worship in a town close to here. It is there that I practice. To answer your call is my vocation,” the monk said. He felt the side of Ardyn’s neck, then held his palm in front of Ardyn’s nose. Desperate for answers, Somnus looked to the monk.

“He is still with us, do not fret. He is breathing, but his heart is frail,” the monk said.

“You’re wrong!!” Somnus stood up, “He’s the best person I know.”

“The doors of our temple are never closed to children in need of help. Shall we go?” The monk gave Somnus a calm smile.

“Okay. But you gotta promise to help him,” he stated. Somnus looked back and forth to avoid eye contact.

“I swear it,” the monk said. Ardyn began to tremble and both Somnus and the monk could hear his grinding teeth.

“What’s happening to him?” Somnus asked with pain in his eyes.

“You have no reason to trust me but this will help him,” the monk said. He tore a piece of cloth from his sleeve and tied it loosely around Ardyn’s mouth, then lifted Ardyn and carried him.

“This way little one,” he said. Somnus followed his guide who walked in the direction of the village.

“If I was stronger I could pick him up,” Somnus said and gazed at the ground. He paused for a moment to reflect on the tragedy that befell him.

“When will he wake up? I miss him. It’s my fault he won’t wake up. If I was stronger he wouldn’t be hurt,” Somnus rambled on. He cried and looked to his brother for consolation.

“He stopped shaking!!! Is he dead? What if he dies because of me? If...if…”

“Hush little one, he will wake up when we get to the temple,” the monk answered with warmth in his voice. He took a thoughtful breath and continued, “If your heart’s heaviness does not defeat you, your spirit can win all battles. You mustn't blame yourself for his fate. He protected you, it was his choice.”

“How do YOU know what he did?” Somnus looked at the monk and tilted his head to the side.

“Are you a god?” Somnus whispered. The monk glanced at the young brother and smiled.

“Your faith is heartwarming. Our paths are meant to cross. Coincidences are fiction. But, I cannot converse of such affairs. I am only a pauper in juxtaposition to Our Lord. Accompany me thus, child,” he said.

Somnus stared at the monk, pretending he could understand any one of those words.

 


	3. Squishy

They arrived at the humble temple made of marble and stone. The monk placed Ardyn on a bed with care. When Ardyn heard Somnus’ footsteps, he blinked open his eyes and winced.

“You’re awake!” Somnus cheered. He brushed some hair out of his brother’s face and gave him a big hug. Ardyn flinched at his touch.

“You’re alive,” Somnus let out a relieved sigh and whispered, “I’m here, okay? I’m not gonna leave you.” He held onto Ardyn’s arm and nuzzled it.

“You saved him,” Somnus said to the monk with shining eyes.

“How long are you gonna keep that thing in his mouth?” He asked.

“Time is relative,” the man paused and looked to the sky, “Even I cannot comprehend its depth.”

 

“WHAT” Somnus said with guttural inflection. The monk took a patient breath.

“Dismiss my words,” he said. He noticed the injured boy’s uneven breathing.

“Fix him there. I will return in a moment,” the monk said. Somnus bounced to his feet.

“What are you doing? Where are you going? You promised to help him,” he shouted.

“Our mind cannot fathom all the universe at once, child. Remain with your brother, for he will not forsake you,” the monk said as he walked away.

Somnus held onto Ardyn’s shoulders. He tried to focus but found that he was strangely drawn to his brother’s injured leg. Somnus squinted his eyes and stared at it. Then he poked it.

“It’s...squishy? Is it supposed to be squishy? Why is his leg squishy?”

“T’is quite an unnerving sight.” The monk returned. In his hand were fresh water and other strange supplies. He glanced at Ardyn’s injury and saw that his ankle was out of place. 

“We will soon comprehend, little one. If a necessity were to depart, it must be relocated. Hold his legs now.”

Somnus did as the man asked. With great skill, the monk shifted his ankle.

Ardyn screamed so loudly that even through the cloth, he was heard outside. Tears burst from his eyes and his back arched from the suffocating pain. Somnus cried when he realized his brother could make such a sound.

“Stop hurting him!” Somnus yelled at the man.

“Quickly. Be strong for him. Constrict his left leg and observe. Take heart, so that you may perchance learn from this brief monologue,” the monk said. Somnus pressed down on his brother’s leg and watched the man through his tearful eyes. 

“I had the good fortune of serving the greatest doctor of our time. He was a strange little man. Balding, but you mustn’t let him hear you say that. Let me show you what he taught me,” the monk said as he cleaned Ardyn’s leg with the fresh water. 

“This is unscoured and carded wool, washed in oil and wine,” the monk said. He covered Ardyn’s leg in it.

“Now, I am anointing him with cerate,” he wrapped it around the leg, “A cloth drenched oil and wax. Keep him still until it hardens.”

“How is he gonna walk?” Somnus asked while staring down at his brother’s cast.

“I will explain all shortly,” the monk said. He untied the cloth around Ardyn’s mouth and held a small bottle of liquid in his hand.

“This is an elixir. Known to man as Medicine of the Gods. It shall bless him with tranquility, that he may rest,” the monk finished. He pinched Ardyn’s nose and, at the same time, poured a few drops in his mouth. 

The injured boy drifted into sleep with a smile on his face. Somnus sat beside him and looked at his brother with intense concentration.

“He looks happy. Did that...” Somnus trailed off, trying to remember the monk’s exact word. A difficult task.

“Medicine! Did that medicine make him happy?” He turned to the man.

“It soothes his pain, for a time,” the monk answered.

“Happy juice,” Somnus whispered to himself. He looked back at Ardyn’s cast.

“How’s he gonna walk? Please, please tell me,” Somnus pleaded. 

“His leg is,” the monk paused, trying to find appropriate words. He continued, “His leg is damaged and his foot brings him pain. He needs to keep them still for many nights but will likely be paralyzed. He requires time to be in good health again. Truly, I’m—”

“No no no no no no no,” Somnus interrupted. He looked at the floor and cried.

“He’s my brother. It’s all my fault. He hurt so much and now he can’t walk. He’s never gonna dance or fight or play with me again,” Somnus said through shallow breaths. He pulled his knees to his chest.

“And it’s all my fault. He’s all I have.” Somnus tried to speak with his staggered voice.

“He hates me.” 

“I’m truly sorry,” the solemn monk said.

Somnus continued to cry, then squinted his eyes open. He wiped away his tears. He glanced at his brother, then at the monk, then back to his brother.

“NO! He’s my brother. You’re wrong!” Somnus shook his head and stood up. 

“My brother’s REALLY strong. He saved me. I’m gonna help him. He’s gonna walk and he’s gonna get better. You’ll see!”

“I’m gonna help him get better,” Somnus whispered to himself and nodded. Then, he looked to the monk with soft eyes, “How can I help him?”

“Stay with him. Care for him and help maintain our house of worship. Do this for me and you two may stay for as long as you wish,” the monk said with a smile. Somnus hugged the man.

“You really are a god. I prayed really really really hard and now you’re helping us. You heard my prayers,” Somnus said, then let go of the monk. The man bowed and left the two. Somnus turned to his brother, closed his eyes, and prayed:

 

_ Thank you for listening to my heart. _

_ Please make my brother get better. _

_ He is strong and I look up to him _

_ And he rescues me from danger. _

_ I don’t know the words to help him, _

_ So help me find the words to love him. _

_ Thank you for letting me be his brother. _

 

The boy never left his brother’s side and prayed throughout the night.


	4. Candles

Ardyn woke to the melody of Somnus' prayers and grunted. When he opened his eyes, he was welcomed to his brother’s face lit by the flames of candles in the dark.

“...Somnus? Are we dead?” Ardyn reached out to Somnus' face.

“No no no no we’re not dead. You’re awake. I prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed and now you’re awake.” Somnus held Ardyn’s hand to his face, then rested his forehead on his brother’s.

“My prayers were answered,” Somnus said.

“Thank god you’re safe,” Ardyn sighed. He squeezed Somnus' hand.

“You saved me.” Somnus gave Ardyn a big hug.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you.” Ardyn held onto Somnus not as his younger brother, but as his precious treasure.

“Your prayers reached me.” Ardyn gripped his brother, trying to sit up. He clenched his teeth and let out a sharp intake of breath.

“Don’t move! Please!” Somnus held onto Ardyn tighter to keep him still.

“What’s happening? What’s happening to me?” Ardyn said, panting.

“I can’t—” He said, interrupted by a wince “—I can’t move my leg. Why can’t I move my leg?”

“Please! You’re really hurt. Don’t try to move it,” Somnus pleaded. With watering eyes, Ardyn held onto his younger brother.

“What’s happening to me?” He whispered. He drew in steady breaths and tried to slow his breathing. He loosened his grip on Somnus, who sat up and looked at his older brother. Ardyn gently lifted Somnus' chin with a finger and checked for any wounds.

“You’re hurt! You don’t get to worry about me.” Somnus pulled his head back.

“Come here. I’m your big brother. I get to worry about you all I want.”

Somnus shook his head. Ardyn lowered his head. He slowly smiled and looked up at Somnus.

“Did you eat?” Ardyn asked.

“NO! I needed to pray.”

“Have you slept?”

“NO! I needed to pray,” Somnus paused. His eyebrows furrowed with deep thought.

“Hey!” The little brother shouted. Ardyn laughed and held Somnus close.

“I remember. There was—” Ardyn flinched from nauseating pain. “—a demon. I toasted it, didn’t I?” He paused to catch his breath.

“I’m glad you’re here with me,” Ardyn said.

The brothers looked at each other. The younger had a glint of guilt in his eyes that children cannot hide.

“You’re gonna get better. I’m so sorry, it’s all my fau—” Somnus was interrupted by a yawn. It spread to his brother.

“I’m tired too. Let’s go to sleep.”

“God helped us. I’m glad my prayers were answered,” Somnus whispered. He sat behind Ardyn and untied his brother’s hair.

“With your prayers, I know I’ll get better soon,” Ardyn said. Somnus turned away and leaned on his brother. Ardyn leaned back and looked to Somnus.

“Hey no matter what, I’ll always protect you, okay?” he said in a warm voice. Somnus let out a deep breath.

“You’re really strong.” He traced his fingers across Ardyn’s arms.

“You’re tickling me!” Ardyn giggled and held Somnus' hands closer to him.

“Your prayers really worked. I’ll get a lot better.”

“I’m not gonna leave you. No matter what.” Somnus wrapped his arms around Ardyn and held him really close. He pressed his head on the back of Ardyn’s.

“I know,” Ardyn smiled and closed his eyes. Somnus loosened his grip and leaned back against the wall.

“Let me play with your hair,” Somnus said. Ardyn closed his eyes as his brother twirled his hair.

“You’re soft. Like a pillow,” Ardyn said under his breath.

 

Feeling his brother’s hair comforted Somnus more than anything. The child had no need for toys. The only reason he stopped was to sleep. The dear brothers held onto each other as twilight embraces the stars.

When he was certain his brother fell asleep, Ardyn opened his eyes with uneasy breaths. Through the night, he fought his pain in the glow of candles.


	5. "Medicine"

When the silence overwhelmed him too much, Ardyn latched onto his brother’s arms. His company made the pain bearable. Ardyn drifted into a broken sleep before the dawn arrived.

“Sleepy, sleepy, wake up sleepy,” Somnus whispered. Ardyn yawned and blinked his eyes open to Somnus resting on his shoulder. Somnus tied back his brother’s hair. Somnus used Ardyn’s hand to point at the monk.

“God saved us,” Somnus said under his breath. Ardyn pointed to the sky with his brother’s hand.

“The gods are up there,” he laughed.

“NO. God’s here. He saved us.” Somnus stated. Ardyn glanced at his brother, then to the monk, then back to his brother. When he realized what his little brother meant, Ardyn beamed. He pulled Somnus close and nuzzled him.

“Father!” Ardyn called out to the monk.

“Hail!” The monk replied and strode to the brothers.

“Thank you for helping us. We’re in your debt,” Ardyn said.

“Debts are of no consequence. What one man is given, another receives. You are you as I am me. No more shall be conversed on the matter.” The monk paused and said to Somnus:

“Boy, filled with the gods’ song, bring hither Gods’ Medicine from yonder, so that your elder can recover.”

Somnus looked to his brother. Ardyn nodded.

“Happy juice...” Somnus murmured, almost inaudibly.

Ardyn watched his brother walk away. When Somnus was at a distance where he could not hear him, Ardyn leaned back against the wall and flinched.

“From what affliction do you suffer from? Be not afraid. Pain is but a circumstance. It is naught but the rest before sleep.”

“Oh, father,” Ardyn winced between words. “What I’d give for it to end,” he groaned.

“Pain is a mentor. Do not resist suffering. Surrender to grief and fear. Behold its presence and bid it welcome. Regard the grace of submission. Torment becomes tranquility from this. My gentle son, all of human wisdom is contained in few words: hold fast to hope.”

“Fortune favors you, for yours is in view.” They both looked at Somnus in the distance. 

“To witness such devotion is a blessing,” the monk finished his sermon. Ardyn leaned against the only leg he could bend.

“He’s my light,” he said in a voice warmed by grace. He closed his eyes and spoke a silent prayer of thanks. Somnus returned with the potion in hand and sat on the bed next to his brother. His eyes danced while he watched Ardyn talk to God.

“I called you Father but who are you?” Ardyn said to his elder.

“You know who I am.”

“I mean your name.”

The monk lifted his arms to the heavens and proclaimed:

“O! Skyward child! With eyes of the earth and the glinting sun! Once it was declared to you. Perchance, we are amidst a cave and my voice is an echo? You hear but do not listen. A name is nothing. We are defined not by our names, but by our actions,” the monk preached.

“Thank you for everything. I’m Ardyn,” he answered with a cheeky smile.

“You are a learnèd man. Allow me to bestow literature upon you. Adieu, adieu, adieu, adieu. Forget me not, little ones.” The monk bowed and left the brothers. Somnus and Ardyn giggled together as he walked away.

“Why’d you call him ‘Father’? He’s not our dad. He’s a GOD,” Somnus squabbled. Ardyn laughed and his face shined. 

“We’re in a temple. It’s what we call people who’re older than us,” Ardyn said. He leaned against his brother.

“I like God better,” Somnus huffed. Then, he nudged the medicine to his brother. Ardyn held the vial to the light and squinted his eyes to study it. He glanced at Somnus, then took a small sip. He immediately covered his mouth and swallowed hard.

“What is that?” He coughed. “‘Something from the gods?’ I’m gonna fight ‘em for this.” He coughed again and became quiet. He stared at his useless leg with a distant gaze. 

“Will I be able to fight again?” Ardyn asked in a shaky voice. 

Somnus hugged his brother’s arm. He fumbled for words but found rapid breaths instead. He twirled Ardyn’s hair with his fingers and shut his eyes.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I know you ha—” Before he could finish that self-deprecating sentence, Ardyn pinched his brother’s lips closed.

“Shhh,” Ardyn paused to listen. “Do you hear that?”

He raised Somnus' hand close to his face, then sniffed it.

“Wha...why issit like that? Why is a thumb so short and stubby?” Ardyn rolled his neck and giggled as if he had secret knowledge.

“And...what are nails? There’s nothing on a human that looks like a nail?” Ardyn purred, “a nail…?” 

He rocked back and forth, repeating those words to himself. Meanwhile, Somnus was staring at his distraught brother.

“...toes.” Ardyn waved his hands and fell out of the bed. He writhed on the floor and drooled while he examined his brother’s toes. 

“Theeeese dooon’t eeev’n look human. Human?”

“Human?” The monk from a foreign corridor shouted in a suggestive voice.

Ardyn convulsed on the floor in laughter. Somnus struggled to lift his brother back onto the bed, then picked up the tonic and scrunched his eyebrows.

“...Happy juice?” He asked in a whisper.

Ardyn politely took the glass vial from his brother. He screamed with the volume of a thespian when he saw his distorted reflection. Ardyn plucked at his eyebrows.

“Caterpillars, caterpillars, caterpillars,” he murmured.

Although Somnus had not taken the medicine, his adoration made him mimic Ardyn’s strange behavior. He glanced at his otherworldly brother then jumped out of bed.

“Adieu, adieu, adieu,” Ardyn said, mocking the monk with his slurred words. Somnus ran around and pounded his chest. He mirrored his brother’s words and chanted to the ceiling:

“Adu adu adu! Adu adu adu adu aaaaa!”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, caaaaaaaahm ‘ere!” Ardyn said in a dopey voice. He lifted his drooping arm and flapped his hand. Somnus tried to find sense in his brother’s words. Somnus’ legs gave out and he fell to the ground.

“Ya ka ma ya ka ma ya ma!!” Somnus sang and crawled on the floor to his brother. Ardyn scooped Somnus up in his arms. They laughed together until their chests ached. Their shining tears fell on happy smiles.

By the time they had lost their breath, Ardyn could no longer hold himself upright. In a drugged trance, he dropped onto his brother. Somnus caught him before he fell and held Ardyn while he dozed off. Somnus untied his brother’s hair and brushed it with his fingers. He drifted into sleep with a grateful smile.


	6. A Word

The sunrise greeted the brothers who lazed with all the drowsiness that adventure brings. Far later in the day, they woke up together. Ardyn slouched back against the wall with his hands placed behind his head. Somnus rested on his brother’s lap and gazed off in an innocent daydream.

“Can you teach me words? Like the ones God says?” Somnus asked with a smile. Ardyn took a deep, satisfying breath and blinked his eyes open. He tilted his head at the stack of books the monk left them earlier in the morning.

“You pick,” he said to his brother. Somnus sat up and chose one with an elegant, winged creature on it. Ardyn opened the book and narrated in a soft voice.

“In the time when myth was written,” Ardyn paused to glance at his brother.

“Mhm.” Somnus nodded with bright eyes. Ardyn smiled and continued.

“There was a silly boy…”

“Mhm.”

“...that gave his brother strange medicine.”

“Hey!!” Somnus sat up. “It doesn’t say that! You’re making it up,” he whined. 

Ardyn laughed at his little brother’s reaction and pulled him closer.

“Here. This is what it says. For real,” Ardyn said. He read the prayer to his brother:

 

_ When heavy from the strife that darkness brings, _

_ The sun rises in the light of morning, _

_ In that part of the sky where the stars are  _

_ Slower; the same that first shone when God’s love _

_ Moved those fair things to fly in the heavens, _

_ The swallow begins her song for rebirth. _

_ Bird so beloved, soothe our ancient sufferings. _

_ Her lullaby heralds the dawn _

_ And the somber shade of moonlight gusts _

_ Like orange blossoms in a shallow gale. _

 

“What does this word mean?” Somnus pointed to a word on the page and looked at his brother.

“That one? ‘Rebirth?’ Hmm.” Ardyn blew out his cheeks. He released his breath, then clicked his tongue.

“It’s a little hard to say. Let me think.” He hummed and tried to find words to say to his little brother. The monk looked in their direction, then floated to them.

“Good day and twenty more, adolescents,” the monk said.

“Oh no,” Ardyn said under his breath. Somnus grabbed the book from his brother’s hands and jumped out of bed.

“Father God!” Somnus sang in the melody that Ardyn hummed.

“What’s this word mean?” He pointed at the word.

“It is a word, correct. Astute observation, little man.” He paused and looked to the sky.

“As time grows weary from its lengthy course, a Stone is withered into dirt. It is constant in its movement. The same dirt from which all herbage, and therefore life, sprout from. Our spirits are wed to the nourishment of the earth. Without the Stone, how else would our flesh be sustained?” He asked with Socratic inflection.

“What’d he say?” Somnus turned to his brother for an answer.

“Something about a stone? And eating? Eating a stone?” Ardyn laughed when he heard his words out loud. 

Somnus’ eyebrows furrowed with deep thought, and then his eyes searched the ground for something.

“Don’t even think about it,” Ardyn laughed. The monk gave the brothers an unreadable smile.

“A casSomnus of water is ceaseless in its course. Its regality is a mentor to our tired souls. From one droplet to another, one moment is never the same as another.” The monk paused. The air around them was hesitant. 

Somnus’ eyes glossed over while his brother glanced around the room in thought. Ardyn propped his head on his fist.

“You just said that,” Ardyn said to the monk, while his little brother tugged on his arm.

“He didn’t say that,” Somnus whined.

“Yeah he did, he just used different words.”

“A tree will die and grow again. Is a tree conscious of its existence? We do not know. The very same pertains to us. Our flesh grows, dies, and will grow again. Only our spirit remains constant. Nobody alive knows what death is, but everyone who is dead knows what life is. How are we to know whether we are alive or dead? Only the gods have answers.” He smiled widely at Somnus.

Somnus gave a small yelp, then fell on his knees in awe. He bowed his head in prayer to the god above him. 

Ardyn instantly became exasperated at his little brother. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Get up,” he groaned. Somnus stood up and sat next to his brother on the bed.

“What he’s trying to say is,” Ardyn took a deep breath and continued, “We don’t really die. We come back.”

“WHAT”

“Just,” he sighed. “Let it go, Som. This man talks in riddles.”

“Oh! Apt men! From one of you, all life will stem. And the other, light shall condemn,” the monk said with ominous cheer. Before Ardyn could open his mouth to respond, Somnus interrupted.

“What was that sound? Why’d his words sound so funny?”

“He was rhyming — wait, did you just rhyme? Do people really do that? Outside of books?” Ardyn squinted his eyes and tilted his head at the monk who bowed and walked away.

“Can you, ummm,” Somnus drifted off, trying to remember his brother’s word. 

“Rhyme! Can you rhyme too?” His eyes shined as he bounced up and down on the bed like a puppy.

“Maybe,” Ardyn laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. After a moment of thought, he said:

“ _If you ever lost your way_ ,” he booped his little brother’s nose and continued, “ _I promise, you won’t be stray._ ”

“Waaaaaa!” Somnus hugged his brother’s chest and cooed, “My big brother can do it too.”

Ardyn smiled. He was touched by his brother’s heartwarming wonder, and he wrapped his arms around Somnus.

For hours, they read of stories and legends from ages lost to us.


	7. Crowns for the Kings

After reading with his brother for some time, Somnus gasped. He hopped out of the bed and scurried off. When Somnus turned his back, Ardyn released the tension that the pain brought his body. He watched his brother leave and slouched his sad shoulders.

Somnus paced near the monk. After a few rounds, he shook his head with determination and marched to the man. He looked up at the man who towered over him.

“Father God!”

“What do you inquire of me, young man?” The monk said and lowered to Somnus’ height.

“I need your help.” Somnus glanced at his brother, then whispered in monk’s ear. The monk stood up and looked at the little man in front of him.

“A heartening gesture. Your affection is steadfast. For you both, I will do this,” he said.

“You helped us. I know you can do this too.” Somnus hugged the man.

“Come then. Let us not delay,” the monk said. The two walked out of the temple into the sunlight. With a coveting stare, Ardyn watched his brother walk outside.

Twilight fell before Somnus returned to the temple. He ran across the room, yelling.

“I missed you!!” He slammed into Ardyn and gave him a big hug. The momentum from his brother’s impact made Ardyn grunt and laugh at the same time. His brother’s company was worth any amount of pain.

“I missed you,” Ardyn whispered softly. He pulled Somnus closer and took a deep breath.

“Ah!” Somnus yawped. He wiggled out of Ardyn’s grasp. “You’re gonna squish ‘em!”

In his hands were a bunch of wildflowers tinted with white, gold and violet colors. Their thin stems were already straight but Somnus straightened them anyway. With a noble smile, he presented them to his brother. Ardyn accepted his thoughtful gift and smelled them.

“They’re really pretty,” Ardyn said with a thankful smile. He picked out a white flower, then tucked it behind his brother’s ear.

Immediately, Somnus’ eyes brightened. He clapped his hands together and squirmed with joy. When Ardyn chuckled, he snapped back to reality. He politely took the flowers back from his brother, then turned away.

He clumsily tied the flowers’ fuzzy stems together and made a crown out of them. Once Somnus was done, he turned around and placed the crown on his brother’s head.

“You’re a king.” Somnus’ words gleamed with adoration.

“I’m not a king,” Ardyn said under his breath. He took off the crown and set it on Somnus’ head.

“See? That’s better.” Ardyn nodded at the sight a crown resting on his little brother’s head.

“NO!” Somnus shouted, placing the crown back on his brother’s hair. He lowered his voice, “It’s for you. I made it for you. You have to wear it.” He bowed his head and looked up at his brother with sad eyes.

“ _Pleeeeeease_?”

Ardyn rolled his eyes and turned away from his brother’s guilt trip. He glanced back at Somnus who was still sulking. Defeat closed Ardyn’s eyes and he smirked, then pulled Somnus close to him with one arm.

“You’re silly,” Ardyn let out a happy sigh. After a moment, he snapped his fingers with an idea.

“I know. Here, watch,” he spoke quickly and held the crown in his hands. He plucked out a few loose flowers from his crown and tied them together. He tweaked both of the crowns until they were about the same size and grinned with satisfaction when he was finished.

“There, we both have one,” Ardyn said. He watched his brother struggle with the laughably important decision of choosing a crown. Somnus took the one with the most white flowers and placed it on Ardyn’s head.

Ardyn picked up the other crown and held it above his brother’s head. As soon as Ardyn dropped it, he _whooshed_ and wiggled his fingers back. Somnus gasped and held in his breath. Then, he flung out his arms while exhaling a much more powerful _whoosh_ . Ardyn chuckled. Instead of trying to compete with his brother, Ardyn slowly lifted his arms above his head, then whispered a faint, melodramatic _swoosh_.

Somnus squeezed his eyes shut and giggled out of his nose. Seeing an opportunity, Ardyn leaned against him and blew a _whoosh_ straight into his brother’s face. Somnus let out a raw chortle, and Ardyn immediately burst into laughter.

“What was that?” Ardyn tried to say between his laughter. Meanwhile, Somnus howled some other kind of laughter. Ardyn clutched onto his brother for support, trying to find his breath. He caught it for a moment. But, when he thought of the ungodly sounds his brother made, he laughed again.

Flowers fell from their hair while they laughed together. Somnus held a few in his hand with a smile so wide it shut his eyes.

“They’re happy,” he said in a soft voice.

“Yeah,” Ardyn smiled and nodded in agreement with his brother.

The flowers rested on their tousled hair and their faces glowed. Ardyn leaned back to feel the weight of the crown on his head. It would be the first of many flower crowns.


	8. Consolation

The next day, Somnus was asked by the monk to run an errand. Ardyn read a book to pass the time while his brother was gone. Anytime he heard a sound, he glanced at the entrance of the building.

Outside the temple, the wise monk spoke to a crowd of people. Ardyn could hear their voices through the window next to his bed but he ignored the noise. In his ears, the words from the man were muffled.

When Somnus returned, he dashed through the temple’s doors. He sat next to Ardyn and dangled his feet from the bed. In his hand was a small peony that brightened his brother’s eyes.

“I really like this one,” Somnus purred. He placed the flower in his brother’s hair.

“I like it too,” Ardyn said. He looked at the flower from the corner of his eyes, then gave his brother a warm smile. When he saw his brother’s gratitude, Somnus beamed.

“Listen,” Ardyn said in a hushed voice and casually pointed to the crowd. They giggled together at the monk’s inflated words. When Ardyn heard “brothers,” he became quiet. Somnus followed his brother’s silence.

 

“Who was the little boy that ran past us a moment ago? With the flower?” An unfamiliar voice asked.

“Oh yes, this small child. He has an intensity that can only rival the sun. His elder brother is less vivacious. The young man’s soul is entrapped. His mortal flesh is lame. No more will be said. The wheel does not have long to turn before his fate is known,” the monk said.

 

The man outside finished speaking and Ardyn squeezed his watering eyes shut. With shaky breaths, he pulled his usable leg to his chest and held onto it dearly. 

When Somnus saw the smile fade from Ardyn’s face, he inched closer and leaned on his brother’s shoulder.

“What’d he say?” Somnus asked tenderly. 

Ardyn saw the compassion in Somnus’ eyes, then took a deep breath.

“You told me I’d get better,” his voice cracked.

“You’re gonna get better. And you’re gonna walk again. And I’m gonna help —”

“I can’t walk!” Ardyn yelled over his brother.

“I can’t walk,” he whispered. He clenched his fist, then raised it to pound his injured leg, 

“Don’t hurt yourself!” Somnus grabbed Ardyn’s arm and stopped him.

But Ardyn’s reflexes acted for him. The instant he felt a grasp, he clenched Somnus’ wrist and shoved him away. Somnus looked at the marks on his wrist and cried.

“Oh god,” Ardyn said under his breath. His eyes ached with guilt when he saw the tears on his brother’s face. He held a hand out to Somnus and spoke softly, “Come here.”

After a moment, he glanced at Ardyn. And just as a child relies on his mother for comfort, Somnus threw himself onto his brother and hugged him.

“Please don’t hate me,” Somnus whimpered with a voice choked in tears. Ardyn squeezed his brother closer.

“I don’t hate you,” he said in his ear.

“Yes you do, you liar,” Somnus whined. “You hurt me.” 

And as soon as Ardyn heard those words, he let out a pained sigh. He turned away to gather his thoughts, then put on a smile for his brother.

“Listen, okay?” Somnus looked up to his older brother. 

 

“I’ll never hate you. You’re my little brother. No matter what you do, I’ll never hate you,” he said in a voice warmed by grace, “and no matter what, you’ll always be my brother.”

 

When he finished speaking, he tilted and lowered his head to be at Somnus' height. Somnus immediately looked away and sniffled. Then, he raised his pinky.

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Ardyn smiled and hooked his pinky with his brother’s. 

They fist bumped and wiggled their fingers back with a  _ whoosh _ . Then they swiped their hands back and forth once, and snapped their fingers twice. They brushed their right elbows together, then their left. Then they howled in unison:

“Adieuuuuuu!” 

They clapped their hands twice to the melody of their song and bowed to each other while giggling.

Ardyn raised his hands up for Somnus to give him a high five. Then they laced their fingers together and moved their arms like a wave on the ocean. Somnus cupped his hand around his eye to use as a looking glass and squinted at Ardyn through it.

“Land ho!” He shouted and stabbed his brother with an air dagger. Ardyn fell onto his back like a slain actor in a tragedy.

The ritual of their sacred vow ended when Somnus plopped onto his brother. His impact made Ardyn grunt and smile. Somnus wiggled next to his brother, and they giggled together.

“We’re gonna be okay,” Ardyn said, and then repeated under his breath, “I promise. We’re gonna be okay.” He tried to find comfort in his own words.

“How do you know?” Somnus asked. Ardyn sifted through his soothed pain and panic for words to express how he felt.

“Hope, that’s how I know,” Ardyn said, remembering a word from the wise man.

“Hope?” Somnus asked. Ardyn smiled at the innocence of his brother’s question.

“It means we’ll be okay,” he said. He finished speaking, then yawned.

“You should go to sleep,” he mumbled through his yawn.

“I’m not sleepy,” Somnus whined. He caught his brother’s yawn and returned it.

“You liar.”

“You made me.” Somnus rubbed his eyes and felt an oncoming yawn. To defy his brother, he took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks. Ardyn looked at Somnus and smiled. He poked one of his brother’s puffy cheeks.

But Somnus held onto his hand for a moment, just long enough to lick it. Immediately, Ardyn jerked his hand back, his mouth falling open with a smile. Somnus barked in laughter at his brother’s plight.

“God you’re so gross,” Ardyn laughed with Somnus, then cleaned his hand off with his brother’s face. Somnus hugged his big brother and nuzzled him to dry his face.

“I got you,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Ardyn laughed.

“You got me.”

Somnus looked up at his brother with the cheeky smile of victory. His brother’s eyes were closed and his breathing was slow. Somnus untied his brother’s hair and twirled it with until his fingers were too heavy to move.

Ardyn held onto his young brother like flames hold on to light. And just as flames are softened by the summer breeze, the children’s restless breaths were also eased.


	9. Sleep sleep

Sometime in the night, Somnus woke to the sound of his brother trembling. He saw the gleaming sweat on Ardyn’s arm and squeezed his brother’s hand.

“Hmmm?” Ardyn sighed in his restless sleep. He played with Somnus’ fingers until Somnus squeezed his hand again, then blinked his eyes open.

“What is it?” He asked.

“I know you’re hurting. You try to hide it. But you can’t,” Somnus said in a soft voice. 

Ardyn took a deep breath.

“It’s not so bad when you’re around. I can’t even feel it over how loud you are.”  
“Hey!” Somnus whined and scrunched his eyebrows. 

Ardyn chuckled at his brother, then smirked.

“Look!” He said quickly and pointed somewhere. He waited for Somnus to turn his head before he chose a target. Then, he pounced on his brother with an attack of tickles. Somnus squealed and squirmed in his fiendish grasp.

“Stop! Stop!” Somnus shrieked.

“See? I can’t hurt, you’re too loud,” Ardyn said. He wrapped his arms around Somnus and held him close. When Somnus caught his breath, Ardyn pressed his head against the back of his brother’s.

“Hey Som? Do you think I’ll walk again?” 

“WHAT” Somnus sat up and continued, “You’re being silly!! You’re my big brother. And. And. And. You’re really strong.” Somnus trailed off. He looked around as if his words floated in the air. 

“And I’m gonna be with you. No matter what.”

Ardyn beamed. He gave his brother the proud smile he deserved and held out a hand to him, but Ardyn’s joy was interrupted. A surge of pain shot through him, and he winced and turned away from his brother. His shoulders curled over him, and he clawed at his arms in an attempt to fight the pain.

Somnus sat behind Ardyn. He moved Ardyn’s hair over the front of his shoulder but pulled some of it with his fingers.

“Ow!” Ardyn jerked his head up and rubbed his tangled hair.  
“Shhhhh, go to sleep,” Somnus whispered.

“You go back to sleep,” Ardyn snapped back with a weak smile. Somnus shook his head, and gently gathered the rest of Ardyn’s hair and moved it over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

Somnus rubbed his brother’s uneven shoulders to ease his brother’s tension. 

Ardyn let out a sharp hiss and shivered. But, when he saw the smile on Somnus’ face, he closed his eyes and leaned back.

“I’m not gonna stop ‘til you go to sleep,” Somnus said to his brother with sass. 

“Fine.” Ardyn snorted and took deep, exaggerated breaths.

“Hey!! You’re faking,” Somnus pouted. Ardyn chuckled and stretched his neck to the side for Somnus to rub.

“But you’re sleepy. Why won’t you sleep?” Somnus smoothed his voice and wrapped his arms around his brother. He leaned his head on the back of Ardyn’s.

“Make me.” Ardyn grumbled. He hugged his brother’s arms around him.

Somnus’ eyes squinted with deep thought. When he remembered the song that Ardyn would sing to him, he smiled. Although he forgot Ardyn’s melody and sang out of tune, he cradled his brother and began his comforting song:

 

_ Lay down your head, let me sing you to sleep _

_ I’ll always be there, come and fall into the deep. _

 

_ Sleep sleep, my brother, _

_ Close your eyes, let your worries stray _

_ Sleep, and follow me when you drift away _

_ Sleep and dream, my brother _

_ Dream of these nights and remember _

_ Dream of laughter _

 

Ardyn drummed the rhythm on his fingers until his hands were too heavy to move. By the time Somnus finished his tender song, Ardyn was already asleep. The brothers held onto each other throughout the night. Their smiles were full with songs of gratitude.


	10. Sun

Moonlight faded from the night and into the rising sun. Rays of violet welcomed the sky, and the swallow began her song in the mists.

The pitter-patter of little feet echoed through the air of the marble temple. The little man ran to his sleeping brother, and the sound of a hollow clank came from the wall next to Ardyn’s bed.

“Wake up sleepy, wake up!!” Somnus chirped in the happy morning and shook his brother.

“Shhhhhh, it’s sleepy time,” Ardyn mumbled, then breathed further into his peaceful sleep with a smile.

Somnus put his mouth near Ardyn’s ear and yelled with the pitchy lullaby of his voice:

“WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP”

Ardyn gripped his hair over his ears, then hid under his blanket. The blanket was his refuge from the blinding light and Somnus.

With all the stealth he could muster, Somnus snatched Ardyn’s blanket. A fatal decision.

Ardyn yanked back his blanket. Somnus slipped with it, but Ardyn grabbed his brother’s face and pushed him away.

“Go away, let me sleep.”

“NO!” Somnus shouted and bit his brother’s drowsy hand that dangled in his face. Ardyn immediately sat up and clenched his chomped hand on his uninjured leg.

“Your face!” Somnus burst into laughter and held at his sides. His ugly laughs were handsome next to his brother’s twisted face.

“Your face!” and spread some of his contagious laughter to his brother.

“I’m gonna get you,” Ardyn groaned and looked at the fading tooth marks on his wrist.

Somnus kept giggling and stumbled on his way to sit behind Ardyn to tie back his hair.

“Why am I awake? I actually slept last night.” Ardyn sighed and leaned back on his younger brother.

“Here,” Somnus said. He pulled on Ardyn’s hair to tighten it, then bounced out of bed. Still giggling, he stumbled against the wall.

Something slid from the wall. Somnus gasped and caught a stick before it fell. He hugged it to his heart, and with a warm smile, presented it to his older brother.

“It’s for you."

Ardyn accepted his brother’s gift with both hands. He tested its weight and tilted it into the sunlight. The simple rod was made of smooth wood and had a polish on it. A small horizontal piece rested on one end, which Ardyn used as a hilt and waved it around like a sword.

“I can get you now,” Ardyn said, then poked his brother’s belly with the rod.

“No silly! It’s for you to walk,” Somnus said through a wide grin. He bounced up and down on his heels and held his arms out for his brother.

Ardyn squealed through a grin. His knee fidgeted while he set the crutch against the wall. He grabbed onto his brother’s arms, and Somnus pulled him out of bed with ease. Somnus held onto his brother’s arms to keep him from falling down.

Ardyn stood for the first time since his fall. His legs wobbled, but his brother supported him to keep him from falling again. Ardyn thanked his brother with a nod and a smile.

“I can’t stop shaking, it’s gonna be so hard to walk like this,” Ardyn laughed to himself. He held the stick under his arm, then leaned on it to test his balance.

“I’ll help you!” Somnus cheered with a gleam in his eyes.

“Okay, here we go.” He took a deep breath and flexed his hands to reclaim his body from the fluttering nerves. He angled his crutch forward and struggled to shift his weight onto it. The crutch tottered and he nearly fell, but before he could stumble, his brother grabbed onto him.

“I can’t believe I’m having trouble walking,” he said in a lighthearted laugh and shook his head.

“You can do it! I know you can.” Somnus clapped his hands rapidly.

Ardyn glanced at his brother. When he saw a heartening smile on his face, Ardyn tightened his grip on the crutch. His first steps were together with his brother.

Though their steps were careful and cautious, the brothers stumbled with every other step and laughed it off together. After a set of full, flawless steps, Ardyn stopped.

“I think I’ve got it now,” he said.

Somnus was slow to let go of his brother and stayed within arm’s reach.

Ardyn took his first unaided step. With unbound energy, he clapped and held his hands together, and raised a fist into the sky to cheer.

“ _I can waaalk_ , _I can walk, I caaaan walk_ ,” he sang in _fortissimo_. Each time he repeated those words, he sang them in a different melody. At the same time, he shimmied and danced an awkward jig with his good leg.

Somnus, not wanting to be excluded, matched his brother’s melody.

“ _My big brother can waaalk, he can waaalk, he caaan walk_ ,” he sang. Somnus did a squat, then jumped high off his feet with his palms raised to the sun.

Who can say which brother was happier?

Still dancing, Ardyn circled his hands to one side, clapped, then circled them to his other side and clapped. At this, Ardyn’s balance wavered. His crutch fell on the floor during the excitement, and he shifted his arms to compensate for it.

Immediately, Somnus rushed to his brother and helped him stand.  
“I’m mad at you!” Somnus pouted. “You need to be more careful!”

“Do I now? You gonna stop me?” Ardyn looked at his brother and smirked.

Somnus scrunched his eyebrows and looked away. Then, he wrapped his arms around Ardyn’s neck and held him in a clumsy headlock.

“Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!” Ardyn shrieked in his brother’s voice. He squirmed with his entire body like his younger brother so often does.

“Hey!” Somnus whined, then grumbled to himself. While Ardyn was immobilized, he quickly took the opportunity to squeeze him and lift him. Though Ardyn’s heels barely left the ground, he flailed his arms around.

“Ah!” Ardyn yipped.

The giggles forced Somnus to set his brother down. He saw the crutch on the floor and then grabbed it for his older brother.

Ardyn snatched his crutch back with an exaggerated frown of jest. He put his arm around Somnus’ shoulder and they laughed together.

“Hey, you wanna know something?”

Somnus turned his head and looked at his brother.

“You’re stronger than me,” Ardyn said, more for himself than for his brother. He gave Somnus a satisfied smile of pride. Arm in arm, they walked outside.

For the first time since his fall, Ardyn felt the golden sun on his air. He squinted his eyes at the cloudless sky with a smile. The brothers stood on grass that tickled their feet and danced to the swallow’s song. Orange blossoms twirled in the air. They tasted flowers with their laughter.  


.      .      .


	11. Rebirth

“HEY!!! Wake up!”

Ardyn jerked his head back and hit his head against the wall behind him. He rubbed the back of his head and yawned. Sitting next to him was Somnus, with an open book. The frown on his brother’s face was lit by flames of candles in the dark.

“You’re not listening to me!!” Somnus whined.

“I am, I am...I’m sorry,” Ardyn said, his words slurred with sleepiness, “Where were you?” He tapped on the page twice.

Somnus pointed to some words on the other page.

“Right HERE.”

“I’m sorry. Just keep going. You’re getting a lot better.” Ardyn hid behind his hand and hair.

“How do YOU know? You were asleep.” Somnus brushed away Ardyn’s hair from his face.

“I know everything,” Ardyn whispered in Somnus’ ear.

“No you don’t. Liar.” Somnus stated and squinted at his older brother.

Ardyn put an arm around his brother's shoulders. He pointed to the words that Somnus’ fingers were on.

“I know that you’re on this page. And I know that you’re getting a lot better.”

Somnus leaned on his brother’s arm and tilted his head to the ceiling. His hands were relaxed on the open book. Somnus gazed at words on the page, then jolted his head towards his brother.

“When I die, I want to be your brother again,” Somnus said in a loud voice.

“What?” Ardyn stared at his little brother.

“You’re not listening to me!”

“No, I heard you,” Ardyn stuttered. “But I don’t know what you’re saying. I am your brother.”

“No no no, I want to be your brother AGAIN.”

When Ardyn realized what his little brother meant, his breath stopped.

“I don’t think you know what you’re saying,” Ardyn said with clear words.

“I know what I’m saying! I said it,” Somnus huffed.

“I want to be your brother in the other life.”

Immediately, Ardyn covered his mouth, then turned away.

 

“Did I say it wrong?”

“No, you didn’t, just,” he stammered with the breathlessness that only his brother’s light could bring.

Somnus pinched his brother’s arm.

“Why are you crying?”

A smile hurt Ardyn’s shining cheeks as he held onto his little brother. Once Ardyn caught his breath, he looked at his brother.

“I hope I can be your brother in the next life, too.”

 

The story of the inseparable brothers still stirs in our memories. The older was known for the flowers that brushed his unkempt hair, and the younger was known for helping his kin in pain.

The sentiments they shared would last for more than a lifetime.

 


	12. ~Thanks~

Though I'm posting this, I cannot take credit for it. It was written not because of my ideas or endless arguments with words, but because of my friends:

 

Thank you to my wife [maty-yami](https://twitter.com/YamiNoMaetel) for your limitless positivity, heart emojis, and loyalty to the beans. Though you think you haven't done much, seeing your 30 emojis always makes me laugh and smile.

 

Thank you to my little sister [gras-art](https://hilariously-infuriating.tumblr.com/) for our hour long conversations about the precious beans and crack ships. You've put up with so much of my screaming and shrieking at absolutely nothing. I will never stop being grateful, and I will never stop acting ridiculously dramatically to anything concerning our precious children.

 

And finally, thank you to my friend [chibi-jing](https://chibi-jing.tumblr.com/). I would never have even considered writing this without you, and I wish I could thank you more but there aren't words to describe how much you've helped me. Your writing has inspired me to do so much and I could never thank you enough.

 

 


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